Ready for September: Your back-to-school guide to The Boxall Profile® Online
Ready for September: Your Guide to The Boxall Profile® Online
A new school year brings a fresh start and the perfect opportunity to proactively support your pupils’ wellbeing. This guide is designed to help you hit the ground running with the Boxall Profile® Online. Unlock immediate insights into your pupils’ social, emotional and developmental needs, so you can build strong relationships and a positive learning environment right from the very start of term.
Getting set up
Your first step is to get your account ready for the new academic year. A clean setup now will save you time later.
- Add your colleagues: Begin by adding all relevant staff members as users. This includes teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs, and pastoral leads who will be involved in completing assessments or viewing data. Ensure everyone has the correct permission level.
- Add Pupils: You can add pupils individually, but the most efficient method at the start of term is the CTF or Template Import. This allows you to bulk-upload all your pupils from your Management Information System (MIS), automatically populating their details and assigning them to the correct classes.
When to assess & who to assess
A strategic approach to assessment ensures you identify needs early and effectively.
- When: The best time for a whole-class or whole-school assessment is within the first 4-6 weeks of the new term. This provides a valuable baseline of every pupil’s social and emotional needs after the long break and as they settle into new routines.
- Who: For the most comprehensive understanding, a universal screening of all pupils is recommended. This proactive approach helps you identify not just the most ones with obvious need, but also the quiet, withdrawn pupils whose underlying needs might otherwise go unnoticed. If universal screening isn’t feasible, prioritise pupils who are new to the school, those transitioning to a new key stage, or those already identified as causing concern.
Using groups
Once your initial assessments are complete, the Groups feature is your key to organising targeted support.
- Create groups: Create groups based on the assessment data. You might group pupils with similar needs (e.g., ‘Difficulty with self-regulation’ or ‘Low self-esteem’) or by existing intervention groups (e.g., ‘Nurture Group’ or ‘ELSA Support’).
- Analyse group data: Use the group data to see at-a-glance insights into shared difficulties. This helps you plan more effective group interventions where a common target or strategy can benefit multiple children simultaneously.
Learning plans & pupil progress
The assessment data translates directly into support through Learning Plans and Targeted Strategies.
- Generate learning plans: For individual pupils, groups or classes use the Boxall Profile® report to generate a Learning Plan. This provides a detailed breakdown of the child’s strengths and difficulties.
- Select strategies: The platform will suggest hundreds of practical, evidence-based strategies tailored to the pupil’s specific needs. Select a manageable number (2-3) of high-impact strategies to focus on first. This ensures staff aren’t overwhelmed and can implement the plan consistently.
- Monitor progress: Regularly review and update the Learning Plan. Use the progress-tracking features to see the impact of your interventions over time.
Data, insights & reporting
The Boxall Profile® Online provides powerful data to demonstrate impact and inform school-wide strategy.
- Track progress over time: The platform automatically visualises progress between assessment points for individuals, groups, and the whole school. This is crucial for showing the effectiveness of your interventions to staff, parents, and leadership.
- Identify trends: Use the whole-school data to identify trends and patterns. Are there common needs in a specific year group? This insight can help you plan preventative, whole-class approaches and allocate resources where they’re most needed.
Preparing for transitions
As a new school year begins, it’s the perfect time to think about future transitions. Whether a pupil is moving to a new class, a new school, or a new stage in their education, early planning can make all the difference. By starting at the beginning of the term, you can build a comprehensive picture of their needs and ensure a smoother, more supportive move when the time comes.
- Build a strong case: Gathering information throughout the year provides a clear evidence base to justify continued support and resources.
- Proactive support: Identify potential challenges early and implement strategies to address them long before a transition occurs.
- Seamless handover: When it’s time for a change, you can instantly share a rich, detailed summary with the pupil’s new teachers, ensuring they are equipped to provide consistent support from day one.
By investing a little time now, you can make future transitions a positive and successful experience for every pupil.
Professional development
To ensure your team feels confident and competent, invest in ongoing professional development.
- Online course: Ensure all staff involved have completed the online Introduction to the Boxall Profile® Online course
- Theory & practice course: Encourage team members to attend the Theory and Practice of The Boxall Profile® course. This is essential for understanding the psychological principles behind the tool.
- Online resources: Encourage your team to use the online resources, guides, and webinars available. This builds confidence and helps embed the Boxall Profile® as a sustainable part of your school’s culture, rather than just another task.
Experience the benefits for yourself: Start your free trial
If you are new to the tool, we invite you to start a 30-day free trial of the Boxall Profile® Online to see how it can enhance the outcomes and pupil wellbeing in your setting. This trial offers a hands-on opportunity to explore its features and understand how it can be customised to meet the diverse needs of your students.
Join thousands of professionals who are making a tangible difference in the lives of children, supporting the social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) of all children and young people, to positively impact their learning, behaviour, attendance, and wellbeing.
Start your free trial now and unlock the potential in every child with the Boxall Profile® Online.